The Trials of Caste
Page 32
Glossary
Castes – The male kobolds of the Kale and Krall Gens are usually divided into castes. A kobold is casteless until the ceremony or competition which marks the transition to adulthood. Female kobolds remain casteless until they are joined to a lifemate, at which time they assume the caste of their mate. The three castes are: servant (or worker) caste, warrior caste (includes elite warriors), and leader caste (includes adventurer class).
· Servant caste kobolds do most of the mundane chores of the gen and are not responsible for the defense of the gen. There is no movement out of the servant caste.
· Warrior caste kobolds generally perform most of the skilled labor of the gen and also carry the responsibility of protecting the gen. A warrior may become an elite warrior through hard work or other proof of merit. Elite warriors are the middle managers of the gen. In many gens they subside on the efforts of their warriors, in some gens they must work to sustain themselves in addition to coordinating the efforts of their warriors.
· Leader caste kobolds are the social elite of the gens. They generally spend all of their efforts in leadership tasks and political positioning, and are the real power-players of any gen. They are usually supported by taxes, tribute, and plunder. The number of leader caste in a gen are usually determined by the number of seats on the gen’s council (twenty-four if a gen follows the Scrolls of Heritage), and are often the eldest sons of previous leader castes, though others have been made leader caste in times of need or, as in this story, some have achieved it by merit.
Day of Beginnings – A holiday when kobold gens celebrate the day that, according to legend, the first kobold came into existence. It is in the early spring and is generally the same day that the Trials of Caste are conducted by the Kale Gen.
First Meal – Breakfast; usually the simplest meal of the day.
First Watch – The night is divided into three time periods. These three time periods are called watches, because the warriors who stand watch at night generally divide their shift into three. First watch is from the going down of the sun in the world above until the end of the burning of one torch. On a certain day each year in the winter, the torch is wrapped with an extra layer of pitch, to compensate for the longer period of darkness outside.
Gen – A kobold tribe, generally consisting of genetically related kobolds, though gens have been formed from remnants of other gens.
Kobolds – Small humanoids that stand between three and four feet tall. Their bodies are covered with rust red scales, with larger scales on flat surfaces of their bodies and smaller scales near and at the joints. Kobolds have long, whip-like tails that start somewhat thick and taper toward the end. Their tails are almost long enough to touch the ground. Male kobolds begin growing straight, ivory horns at puberty. As a kobold grows older, his horns will generally bend forward, eventually curling on the oldest of kobolds. Female kobolds do not grow horns and are generally shorter than their male counterparts. Kobolds have a sharper sense of smell than humans. Many kobolds have trained their sense of smell to the point where they can track using their noses. Kobolds also have heat vision. Using heat vision, they see black and white only, with cold things appearing black or dark gray, and warmer things appearing lighter gray. Hot things appear bright white. Kobolds’ heat vision is spoiled by normal light (torches, daylight, etc) as well as excessive heat. Though initially thought to be of reptilian descent, kobolds have several strange features that belie a completely reptilian heritage; they are warm-blooded, having the ability to sweat. Additionally, their children are gestated internally, not adhering to the reptilian trait of laying hard-shelled eggs.
Minotaurs – Minotaurs appear to be rather large humans with bulls’ heads, and hooves instead of feet. They are usually covered with thick, course hair from head to hoof and are usually rather muscular.
Orcs – A race of brutish, warrior-like humanoids with greenish-black skin, sloping foreheads, sharp teeth, and red eyes. They are organized into tribes, with the strongest orc dominating the warriors of the tribe and securing the loyalty of the warriors by dividing some of the females among them. As they breed and mature at a rapid pace, a war party of young orcs from a growing orc tribe out to prove themselves is a common thing to encounter.
Palacid – The legendary citadel of The Sorcerer. It disappeared from its location in the heart of the human lands at the end of the Great War, almost a thousand years before the time period covered in this book. It then appeared in the southern lands; shortly after which the kobold race came into being.
Second Meal – Lunch; usually a more substantial meal than breakfast.
Second Watch – The night is divided into three time periods. These three time periods are called watches, because the warriors who stand watch at night generally divide their shift into three. Second watch is from the end of the burning of the first torch to the end of the burning of a second torch.
Sorcerer – The Sorcerer was a person of great power that lived a thousand years before the time period depicted in this book. He unified the human, elf, and dwarf races. He possessed phenomenal magical powers and used them to better the state of the races. While he is not the Creator, he is the one who made the kobold race, gave them their laws, and taught them their language.
Sweet Bark Cider – A non-alcoholic, but calming and focusing drink distilled from the under-bark of the massive trees that surround the heart of the Krall Gen.
Third Meal – Dinner; usually the most elaborate and substantial meal of the day.
Third Watch – The night is divided into three time periods. These three time periods are called watches, because the warriors who stand watch at night generally divide their shift into three. Third watch starts at the end of the burning of the second torch until the pre-dawn light fills the sky in the world above before the sun actually rises.
Trials of Caste – The Kale Gen conducts a singular event each year where all male kobolds in their fifteenth year participate. These same kobolds spend an entire year before the event arduously preparing for the event. Those who are not able to complete each aspect of the training become servant caste. Those who make it all the way to the trials of caste and score in the trials or gain at least one kill become warrior caste, no matter where they place in the rankings. Usually the top kobold from each year-group is made an elite warrior.
Wallaya Root – The Wallaya plant has a large, tuberous root which, when boiled, gives off a pleasant, relaxing scent.
Warrior Group – The Kale Gen is divided into six warrior groups; Patrol Guard, Trade, Metalsmithies, Deep Guard, Wolf Riders, and Honor Guard Warrior Groups, with only the functional leader caste of the gen and their staff not belonging to any warrior group. Each warrior group has a primary mission, such as to run the trade caravans, or produce craft goods, or guard the outer perimeter of the gen. A male kobold often grows up in, becomes a warrior in, grows old and dies in his warrior group. Female kobolds may or may not stay in the same warrior group once they reach the age of adulthood and are mated.
Whelp – Child or adolescent; a kobold who has not yet reached the age of adulthood.
Year-group – A peer group of kobolds in their fifteenth year of life. In the Kale Gen, all the male kobolds in the entire gen that are in their fifteenth year are put together into one year-group to pass through the Trials of Caste.
Other Books by Joel Babbitt
Paladin of a Hidden God Trilogy:
The Trials of Caste
Into the Heart of Evil
The Game of Fates
Life Sticks of Razz Serial:
Clan Lord
Hunt Master
More Novels and Stories:
Trouble on Camallay (coming 2015)
Ella Sister-Daughter (coming 2015)
Get a FREE Short Story at AuthorJoel.com:
http://www.authorjoel.com/free-short-story-.html